Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Children and Parents

6 Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord,[a] because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment[b] with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.[c][d]4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

5 Slaves, obey your human[e] masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. 6 Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.[f]7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men,8 knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. 9 And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

Christian Warfare

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics[g] of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore,

with truth like a belt around your waist,righteousness like armor on your chest,15 and your feet sandaled with readinessfor the gospel of peace.[h]16 In every situation take the shield of faith,and with it you will be able to extinguishall the flaming arrows of the evil one.17 Take the helmet of salvation,and the sword of the Spirit,which is God’s word.

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Paul’s Farewell

21 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant[i] in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.[j][k]

You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more

You must be logged in to view your newly purchased content. Please log in below or if you don't have an account, creating one is easy and only takes a few moments. After you log in your content will be available in your library.

Share

Step 1 - Create an account or log in to start your free trial.

Starting your free trial of Bible Gateway Plus is easy. You’re already logged in with your Bible Gateway account. The next step is to enter your payment information. Your credit card won’t be charged until the trial period is over. You can cancel anytime during the trial period.

Already Subscribed

Want an ad-free Bible Gateway?

Try Bible Gateway Plus, a brand-new service that lets you experience Bible Gateway free of banner ads! It also gives you instant access to over 40 Bible study and inspirational devotional books, including the NIV Study Bible. With Bible Gateway Plus, you can experience and understand God's Word in life-changing new ways, without the distraction of ads. Try it free for 30 days—you can cancel at any time. Following your 30-day free trial, Bible Gateway Plus is only $3.99/month.